Photo courtesy of the Marysville Police Department 

OLIVEHURST, CA (MPG) – The Marysville Police Department identified Officer Osmar Rodarte as the officer who was fatally shot the morning of March 26 during a multi-agency drug raid in Olivehurst. The raid was part of a sweeping operation targeting a transnational drug trafficking organization.

Rodarte was struck during an exchange of gunfire at a residence on Kestrel Court around 7:50 a.m. March 26, officials said.

The suspect involved in the shooting was also killed at the scene.

The incident occurred during the execution of one of 20 coordinated search warrants across Yuba, Sutter, Tehama and Butte counties, according to officials at a March 26 press conference at the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department.

“It's important to note that in this multi-year operation, the suspects (the central suspects in this operation) were part of transnational drug-trafficking organizations that were moving methamphetamine and deadly fentanyl across the border from Mexico into our state, where it was harming our communities and children,” said Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry. “Tragically, this morning, at one of the sites where a search warrant was being served, a Marysville police officer lost his life in the line of duty.”

Curry chairs the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force NET-5.

Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson confirmed that the officer was part of the Yuba-Sutter Regional SWAT team that entered the home, where they encountered gunfire. Officer Rodarte was struck and later died from his injuries at Rideout Hospital in Marysville. The suspect inside the home was pronounced dead at the scene.

“There was one other individual inside the residence where the search warrant was executed,” said Anderson. “That person was detained, brought to the Sheriff’s Office for questioning, and has since been released.”

Rodarte, who was previously described as a young U.S. Army veteran, had served with the Marysville Police Department for two years. His name was officially released by the Marysville Police Department the night of March 26.

“We lost an officer today who was near and dear to our hearts,” said Marysville Police Chief Christian Sachs. “I appreciate the support from all the allied agencies within the region who have come to support us in this tragic time.”

Law enforcement officials from across the region joined Sachs in expressing their condolences and support, including Marysville Mayor Chris Branscum, who described an emotional scene at the hospital.

“I heard about this early this morning, and when I arrived at the hospital. I walked into a room of Marysville police officers, with one of our sergeants on a knee saying a prayer for a lost officer,” said Branscum.

In a statement posted by the City of Marysville Police Department, Sachs described Rodarte as "more than a colleague; he was a friend, a father, an Army veteran and a true hero."

The transfer of Rodarte’s body from Rideout Hospital to Lakeside Chapel the afternoon of March 26 was accompanied by at least a dozen law enforcement vehicles and community members who lined the roads in solemn tribute. Another formal procession was held at 9:30 a.m. the morning of March 27 to escort Rodarte’s body from the mortuary to Placer County, where additional arrangements are being handled. Residents were invited to line the sidewalks along D Street, between 9th and 1st streets to offer their support and pay their respects.

“Your presence will be a powerful testament to the impact Officer Rodarte had on all of us, and the strength of the community he served so selflessly,” said Sachs in a statement released from the Marysville Police Department.

That solemn journey lasted approximately 11 minutes and was accompanied by various law enforcement officers and honor guards paying tribute along the route.

District Attorney Curry said two investigations are now underway: one into the officer-involved shooting itself, led by the Yuba-Sutter Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Team, and another into the larger drug-trafficking operation. Curry anticipates releasing more information on the arrests and seizures made as early as the end of the week.

“Even prior to today, (this operation) had seized hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and over $150,000 in currency,” said Curry. “These were major players pushing poison through our neighborhoods. We couldn’t just sit and watch it happen.”

Authorities plan to release additional updates in the coming days, including memorial service information and ways for the public to honor Officer Rodarte’s legacy.